The single longwall operation is expected to produce 5 million tons of Pittsburgh seam product coal.

“Due to the well-capitalised nature of the company's retained coal assets following last month's divestiture, we anticipate that maintenance-of-production capital for the year will be held to under $4.25 per ton on the 31 million tons expected to be produced for the year,” Consol said.

Consol, which is increasingly investing in shale plays, sold the McElroy, Shoemaker, Robinson Run, Loveridge and Blacksville No. 2 coal mines in West Virginia to Ohio-based Murray Energy late last year.